Steven Sipple: Emmett Johnson’s ascension to possible starter status in 2024 is testament to development, pure and simple
A couple weeks ago, as I was shooting the hot Texas breeze with Nebraska second-year running backs coach E.J. Barthel, I suddenly realized that I inadvertently handed him a compliment.
Our discussion had turned to Emmett Johnson, the Huskers’ sophomore running back. There’s no doubt Johnson has improved as a player during the past year or so. You don’t have to look hard to see it. I mean, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Johnson has a legitimate chance to be the team’s starting running back to open the 2024 season.
Yeah, that’s a compliment to Johnson — who was lightly recruited by Power 5 programs — but also to his position coach.
“I really appreciate that,” Barthel said between sessions of a satellite camp in Belton, Texas. “It’s a testament to our staff.”
A native of Minneapolis, Johnson has improved “in all phases of the game,” Barthel said.
“Emmett went from a guy who was figuring things out, like any young player does, to really taking to the coaching from our staff and really buying into the things we’re teaching him,” Barthel said. “After every single rep, he’s looking for feedback to find out what he did right and what he did wrong.”
That’s an excellent sign.
“The ability to be coachable is the rule for Emmett, and he’s continued to grow and grow in all phases of his game,” Barthel said. “We’re just pushing him every single day.”
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Barthel praises Johnson’s physical development
As I contemplate Johnson’s improvement, I actually think back to a Nebraska basketball game against Minnesota. As he emerged on Pinnacle Bank Arena’s court this past February for a dunk contest, I mistook Johnson for fellow Nebraska running back Gabe Ervin, a 6-foot, 220-pounder.
Johnson clearly has been working hard in the weight room.
“His main focus right now is preparing his body for the Big Ten,” Barthel said. “That’s any running back that we coach and that we have our hands on. We’re not going to shy away from the kind of players we want — developing NFL players, that’s what we’re looking for.
“We want guys who want to get a great academic degree and also a chance to play pro football. So, the body and what that looks like is huge for us. Coach (Corey) Campbell does an excellent job of pushing those guys in the weight room.”
Barthel’s praise extended to team nutritionists and the even the academic staff. Nebraska coaches ultimately want well-rounded players. They hope to land “elite athletes,” Barthel said. In running backs, he said, he’s looking for elite athletes who also can run the ball with physicality.
The physicality component becomes particularly important in the Big Ten.
“Especially in the Big Ten, you’re preparing your body for those hits that you’re going to get from those tough defenses,” Barthel said. “The guy who can carry the ball for us and just pound the football, that’s the guy you want in the Big Ten.”
Johnson looks like he can handle that job, but he has ample competition in Barthel’s group. That’s encouraging news for Nebraska fans. It’s a near-certainty that a starting Big Ten back is going to suffer an injury that takes him out of meaningful action. It’s just a fact of life.
“I’d say the combination of being strong and being explosive will help keep you injury-free,” Barthel said.
Johnson comes on strong after injuries to vet RBs
Of course, there are no guarantees in that regard as Nebraska learned last season when its top two running backs — Ervin and Rahmir Johnson — went down in the same mid-September game with season-ending injuries.
Ervin dislocated his hip, and Johnson dislocated his shoulder. Both are expected to be full-go for the start of preseason camp July 31. Preseason camp is often when jobs are won and lost.
Even with the two veteran RBs healthy, Johnson remains a threat to win the job. He played in 12 games last season as a redshirt freshman, and started six of the final seven. He finished with 90 carries for 411 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 4.6 yards per carry to help Nebraska rank second in the Big Ten in rushing. Johnson also caught seven passes for 46 yards and returned one kickoff for 15 yards.
A three-star recruit in high school, Johnson rushed five times for 25 yards in this year’s spring game while also making two catches for 12 yards. I thought his legs looked “live.” He had bounce. He ran with confidence. In addition, Johnson appears to be the team’s No. 1 punt-return man. That’s informative, folks. It’s a tough job that not many players want to do. It speaks to Johnson’s toughness and willingness to help the team any way he can.
He presents a good overall picture, and he’s still a young back.
Dowdell, Ives also look to make waves
If you hang around Nebraska’s football camps in June, you learn plenty. I’ve learned in recent days that the Husker staff has genuine confidence in redshirt freshman Kwinten Ives developing into an excellent Big Ten running back. Ives is officially listed at 6-2, 185. I saw him Friday night, and he’s clearly put on good weight. He looks more like 6-2 and 195 now. He’ll easily get to 200-plus by next season.
Thing is, Ives has time to develop because of the room’s depth.
Same goes for sophomore Dante Dowdell, who transferred to Nebraska from Oregon this past winter. He rushed 17 times for 90 yards and a TD for the Ducks last season.
How close is Dowdell to being ready for extensive action?
“Dowdell is a tough one because he’s such an impressive human,” Barthel said. “He’s big, he’s explosive, he’s strong, and right now he’s developing other phases of his game. He’s a young player. Sometimes I forget that. You know what I mean? But he has a bright future, and I’m really excited to see what he does.
“He has Rahmir and Gabe and Emmett pushing him. This is a really good group of guys pushing each other, with Kwinten and Maurice (Mazzccua) as well. Dante just has to continue to work his tail off like he’s been doing.
“Just like Emmett, he’s getting better and better.”
Let’s see what Barthel can do with this room. Nebraska hasn’t had a bona fide star at running back since Ameer Abdullah, who rushed for 1,600-plus yards in back-to-back seasons (2013 and 2014). He averaged 6.0 yards per carry in both of those seasons. He rushed for 19 touchdowns in 2014. Yes, 19.
Barthel recently landed fleet four-star running back Jamarion Parker for Nebraska’s class of 2025. That’s a good sign — in part because Nebraska needs to have more recruiting success in St. Louis. Johnson’s obvious development also is a good sign, part of a good overall Husker running back picture, or so it seems.
Barthel appears to have some momentum. Yep, that’s another compliment.
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